DIY guide · Moderate
How to replace brake pads and rotors
Brakes are the job most people want a lift for: you can sit with the wheel off and see everything. It is a safe job to learn, if you follow every step in order and test before you drive.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time in the bay
- 1.5 to 4 hours
- Best bay
- Low scissor lift
- Bay cost, plus tax
- $50 to $100
This is a general guide, not a manual for your car. Your vehicle's service manual comes first, especially for torque values, fluid types and capacities. Support the car on the lift locks or jack stands before you go under it, wear eye protection, and if a step feels wrong, stop and ask us. We do not do welding, grinding or painting in the bays.
Look these up before you book
- Caliper bracket and wheel torque
- Whether the rear caliper has a built-in parking brake that needs a rotating tool
- Pad and rotor part numbers by trim and axle
Tools
- Sockets and wrenches for the caliper bolts
- Breaker bar and torque wrench
- C-clamp or brake piston tool
- Wire brush and brake cleaner
- Brake grease for slide pins
- Bungee or hook to hold the caliper
- Eye protection
Parts and fluids
- Brake pads for each axle you are doing
- Rotors, replaced in pairs
- Hardware kit (clips and shims) if the pads do not include it
- Brake fluid only if you are topping up
There is an AutoZone nearby, and during business hours parts usually reach the shop in about 10 to 20 minutes. Forgot a filter or need a different size? Order it, keep working, and do not lose your slot.
The retailer's own vehicle picker confirms what fits your car. Always compare the part number with your old part.
Step by step
- Loosen the lug nuts, raise the car, remove the wheelCrack the nuts while the car is on the ground or the lift, then raise and pull the wheel.
- Remove the caliperTake out the two slide bolts or the caliper bracket bolts as your car is built. Hang the caliper from the spring with a hook. Never let it dangle by the rubber hose.
- Remove the pads and the rotorPull the pads. The rotor may have a small retaining screw. Tap it off the hub with a hammer if rust holds it.
- Clean the hub face and bracketRust between the hub and the rotor makes brake pulsation. Scrub it clean and wipe the rotor with brake cleaner so the factory oil is gone.
- Fit the new rotor and the bracket hardwarePut the rotor on, refit the bracket and clean or replace the clips where the pad ears slide.
- Push the piston backUse the clamp or the tool on the old pad to push the piston flat. Watch the fluid reservoir so it does not overflow. Rear calipers with a parking brake may need to turn as they go in.
- Fit the pads and caliperLight grease on the slide pins and the metal contact points only, never on the friction surface. Refit and torque the bolts.
- Wheel on, torque, pump the pedalTorque the lug nuts in a star pattern, then pump the pedal until it is firm before you move the car.
- Test and bed inRoll the car slowly, test the brakes, then do a few firm stops as the pad maker describes.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pulling the car out before the pedal is firm
- Letting the caliper hang by the brake hose
- Grease or fingerprints on the pad or rotor face
- Replacing only one side of an axle
- Skipping the torque wrench on lug nuts
Stop and ask for help if
- A soft or sinking pedal, leaking fluid or a flexible hose that looks cracked: stop and get help.
- If the ABS or brake light stays on after the job, do not drive until it is sorted.
Doing it in our bays
The scissor lift is built for this: wheels free, you on a stool, no standing under the car. The 2-post works too. A wheel off the car on a lift is much easier than a wheel off on stands in a driveway.
Every bay has air, power, work lights and jack stands, and the lift bays come with a short safety walkthrough. Bring your own hand tools, parts and fluids. New to lifts? Read how your first visit goes.
Questions
How long does a brake job take?
Plan about 1.5 to 2 hours per axle if it goes well and 3 to 4 if bolts fight you. Book extra time so you never rush the last steps.
Do I need to replace the rotors too?
If they are scored, warped or below minimum thickness, yes. Many people replace pads and rotors together.
Do I need to bleed the brakes?
Not for a normal pad swap, as long as you did not open the brake lines.